


The Marvel Stockings

by Merfilly



Category: Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe, X-Men (Movies)
Genre: Ficlet Collection, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-08
Updated: 2016-01-08
Packaged: 2018-05-12 15:29:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5670943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A smattering of everything Marvel</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Marvel Stockings

**Author's Note:**

> Not Rated because the ratings vary by snippet.

Erik paused, looking at the entirely too innocent man settled on the bed. Creased wrinkles of age shifted, as the master of magnetism considered what step he could take at this point, what chance he could affect. How could he best serve his destiny at this point the whims of a chronal accident had brought him to? Should he grant his long-time nemesis a merciful release from the burden ahead? What would that do to the future? Time could be so precarious.

Even as Erik reached for his power to affect the sleeping telepath though, the energies swirled, ripping at his existence. A smile touched his lips, as the last thing he heard was the call of his younger voice waking Charles.

What a shame that no one person could easily occupy the same space from two points in time, or what he could have told his younger self! Instead, yet again, Erik the younger saved Charles' life.

It seemed fitting, in the older one's mind.

+++++

Clint drew a card from the pile, then discarded. Natasha eyed his hand, as if fathoming just what he could be holding, then drew her own card, considering what to discard. When she put her discard in the pile, Clint smirked, and drew one card, sorted it in, then laid all eleven cards down.

"Gin."

"You cheat." 

They stared at each other a long time, before both smiled, and Natasha began tallying how many points she had to pay. 

"I won, didn't I?" he asked before she even did the math.

"You always do. I need to teach you how to play Preferans," she grumped, but she nodded.

"Maybe you should, the next time you babysit me with a broken leg," Clint suggested. 

"Or maybe we should both stop breaking limbs on mission, so Nick quits grounding us?" she asked sweetly. He laughed, but settled back in his chair. It was nice to pass time with her, and they were both in need of the time to recover.

+++++

There's something that goes beyond pleasure and relief alike, the first time Steve is able to share a shower with Bucky. Part of it is a need to care for Bucky in the same way that Bucky had taken care of him all those years ago.

Part of it is the symbology of shedding the past under the water. But most of all, for Steve anyway, it makes it so real that he can't keep thinking it's a dream about to snap. From the heat of the water, to the smell of the soap, to the feel of metal and flesh holding onto him, Steve can burrow into sensation and know he's got his Bucky back.

"Thinking too much," Bucky said, and Steve smiled, before kissing the side of Bucky's head. 

They were definitely going to run out the hot water heater before Steve let go of this moment.

+++++

"Had to go and give Sam a run for his money?" Tony asked, walking around the man one more time. "Or just thought your codename needed more truth in advertising?"

"Tony, not today." Clint pinched the bridge of his nose, and the feathers in his luxuriant new wings fluttered and ruffled in response to his emotions.

"Loki?"

Clint just nodded and flexed his shoulders, trying to ease the weight of them. "He had a new staff, and it bounced energy through the Witch throwing her little trick at him, ricocheted, hit me."

Tony winced. "Alright, we're going to just… take it easy, get some scans, see whether we can measure the energy waves in your cells, all that science stuff." He then stepped closer, running his knuckle over the feathers. "Until we get to the bottom of this, I'll just collect the ones you shed for a pillow fight later."

"TONY!"

+++++

Clint had sized them all up. It was one reason he'd been devastating as Loki's pawn. His habit of observing, of weighing each person he came into contact with had left him able to work each part of Loki's plan perfectly.

He'd eventually forgiven himself for it.

Now, he had to measure up all the changes, and do it fast enough to help. They were in for a worse ride than Loki had given them, and that meant adapting.

Fortunately, Clint knew they could all do it on the individual level. With luck, that would translate to the team as well.

+++++

Clint put an orange soda in front of Phil, then sat with his beer in the opposite chair. "Tell me what you need done."

There weren't any demands for explanations, and Phil had been counting on that. Clint had always been the solid one; he was also the only one Phil dared trust right now.

"I need a shadow on the team I put together. Up for it?"

"Thinking treachery? Or just a lack of experience?"

"You cased them already."

"Of course I did." Clint slugged back a long draw of his beer. "Had to chase loose threads, and you were one."

Phil smiled, sipping at his soda. "Appreciate that. Yes, both counts."

"I'm on it then. Let Nat handle the Captain and internal SHIELD issues while I cover your six."

+++++

"JARVIS still isn't certain about the stocking," Pepper mentioned, as she lounged with Tony in front of the 'fireplace', the three stockings hung with something approaching care.

Tony shrugged. "I told DUM-E and U that they didn't get stockings up here because I was disappointed in them," he told her. "They were more upset about it than JARVIS has been accepting of his place in our family." There was a brief panic in Tony's eyes, a tension in his body as he actually said those words, but Pepper leaned in and kissed him lightly, easing him away from the impact of having said it aloud. 

"I'm putting stockings up for them in the lab then," she told him, smiling at his scowl. "And you'll give them something they appreciate, or else I'll put coal in yours."

"Wasting fossil fuels? Pepper, I thought better of you," he mocked playfully, before settling to hold her and watch the fire display.

+++++

Thor could not actually get enough of watching Jane at work. Her animation and conviction was so genuine, and the momentary set-backs would make her wilt for but a moment before she threw herself back into the fray.

No one, not even his best and closest friends, had half as much passion in their life as Jane did.

Was it because of the shorter lifespan? Was this something that made them burn so strongly, because of the shortness of time?

Thor didn't think so; Jane seemed different even from her peers in this aspect.

His favorite part of watching her work, though, was that moment when she conceded it was too late, or they needed a break, and she walked to him, to share passion of a different sort.

+++++

"I'm impressed."

Tony whipped his head from his latest creation to the man at his side, looking for the punch line. Bruce rarely said anything without effect, after all.

"It didn't explode," Bruce finished, giving a smile at Tony to take the sting out. Tony grinned. 

"This time," he said, moving to investigate the alloy. "Or yet, maybe, because we have to test it. But if I can manufacture enough of it, think of the protection for our troops! Rhodey will be over the moon, and it's lightweight enough to protect the Captain's precious angel boy — "

"Falcon," Bruce reminded.

"— without impacting his flight capability!" Tony said without regard for the interruption. "Iron Man's armor for everyone, without needing a power supply!"

Bruce just nodded, pleased by the early success, and impressed all over again by Tony's need to protect people. It was one reason he stayed, helping where he could.

+++++

To call them reticent about their feelings was like saying Beast was just slightly blue. That didn't mean the team wasn't well aware of the 'thing' between Cable and Domino. Maybe it was in the way he wouldn't just deal with the threat Domino was facing, even if he'd already cleared his space. Maybe it was partly the way she called him out for being careless and leaving threats on his six.

Then there was the ritual of them cleaning their guns in silence at the end of a mission, side by side, never saying a word… but completely in tune with each other. 

Or maybe they were in tune with their weapons. Because the other thing the team knew was that Cable and Domino had a love affair with their gear. Maybe the 'thing' was just that, a shared love of firearms and violence.

But there was a 'thing'.

+++++

Steve walked in, mouth open to say something to Natasha… and he cut himself off to see her sitting on the floor, Clint laying beside her with his head on her lap.

"Sorry," he said awkwardly, not sure of the feelings twisting through him. 

"What did you want?" Natasha asked him, fingers stroking Clint's hair. 

"To ask you out for a beer, maybe try that new pizza joint," Steve said before he could filter. Maybe Clint was like a brother to her…

"Can you afford both of us?" Clint rumbled, rolling his head to look at Steve, a challenging little smirk on his face. Steve started to back down, but then he saw Natasha's face. It was just as challenging, inviting maybe, as Clint's.

"Might take both of you to keep up with me, so why not," Steve answered dryly.

+++++

Tony counted it as a complete victory, the first time he actually was able to coax Steve into sleeping. He'd heard the 'spent enough time sleeping' comment once or twice. That he was as notorious about getting by on as little sleep as physically possible was not something they discussed.

Maybe relationships weren't about who wins, or points, or any of that stuff, but listening to Steve breathe evenly in such peace was more important to Tony than any award he'd ever been given. 

He'd kick himself later for being quite that sappy though. After all, he had a reputation.

+++++

Logan stirred to feel Ororo's hair fanned out over his chest. He recalled the night before, the back and forth on buying drinks, and her very bold, very loud proposition for sex. He'd brought her home, helped her into bed, and then she'd gone to sleep… but that was the extent of it.

A pity, he thought, because he admired the hell out of her. If she'd been sober enough to make that request in honesty, Logan would have said yes in a heartbeat.

It was still nice, to have her lying against his body, her scent in his nose.

"Mmm… morning," she murmured, shifting to look up at him.

"You hold your liquor pretty well to be that clear-eyed, beautiful," he said, surprised. It had been a hell of a month and he hadn't questioned her steady drinking the night before. Hell, he wished he could get that blitzed.

"Benefits of being a goddess. Our bodies can handle anything our appetites want." She slipped from beside him to over in one easy movement. "And you didn't give me everything I asked for, Logan…"

He brought his hands to her hips, certain she was sober and definitely not passing this up. "Let's fix that."

+++++

The jets wouldn't light, and his grip was slipping. This was going to hurt… if it didn't outright kill him.

And then there were hands reaching over for him. A whole body, even, as Natasha's face filled his view, locking her hands around his wrists.

"Hold on!" she shouted over the wind and distant explosions… and Tony realized there were massive green hands holding her by the ankles to allow her to reach him. How had she gotten the Hulk… no, nevermind.

When they were all on solid ground, and the Hulk had done an obligatory scream at him, Tony looked to Natasha, knowing there was some trauma related to the big guy under her skin… and yet she was in control.

"We take care of each other," she said, picking herself up. "All of us."

+++++

Tony touched Pepper's hand to draw her attention back from the firework display. "Hey, remember me? I make fireworks too," he teased.

"Tony, has anyone told you you're not really funny?" she teased right back, but she moved closer to him.

"All the time. My former personal assistant, actually." He ducked in for a kiss, lingering on it. When they parted, she leaned her forehead against his.

"Happy New Year, Tony," she said softly. "May it need far less Iron Man than last year."

"Spoilsport," he told her, even as he agreed. Last year had been too much the suit, not enough Pepper.

+++++

Phil put another chip in, watched as Clint immediately met the bid, and turned to watch Natasha. She made no show of emotion or thought, playing through the bidding like an automaton.

It was impossible to find a tell or hint when it came to her. Phil was certain Clint was bluffing, but Natasha could hold as steady with a royal flush as a pair of deuces.

Until, that was, the reveal, that had her queen high straight taking the pot. Then, Natasha was all smiles and laughter, teasing Clint about his tells, and prodding Phil on being too old to strategize his hand anymore.'

It was worth losing, though, to see the Widow so relaxed in their company.

+++++

"You don't get to check out like that, you hear me?" 

Pietro wasn't certain he was hearing correctly, or where he was, but then Clint was in his view, sitting on a stool by the bed. The sounds were muted around him, and Pietro felt weaker than he ever had.

"Your sister… did something. Or your metabolism did. We thought you were gone, but you got a second chance." Clint clasped Pietro's hand firmly. "Don't throw it away. I'm going to be watching over you, helping you get back on your feet."

"Why?"

Clint just shook his head. "Owe you one… and I give a damn."

+++++

"Don't you owe me a date?" Sam asked Natasha as they were sitting around playing cards and pretending not to cheat. Bucky smirked, and Natasha liked it on him. It was a nice change from both his Winter Scowl, as she'd named it, and the Bucky Blues as his woebegone look was tagged in her head.

"I got you a date, with the Captain there," she said, deliberately testing the waters with the fourth member of their oddball team, to find where the jealousy line sat. Of course Steve half-distracted her from watching Bucky, because he snorted.

"Sam's idea of a date is to run too slow around the Mall," Steve teased.

"If you'd stop being hard to catch, you might get laid more often," Bucky told Steve for that, but he'd been completely calm. Natasha raised him up another step in her mind.

"So you owe me a date, Red, because Steve might be hot, but I'm tired of chasing him," Sam said, before taking the entire pot with his straight flush.

"We'll make it a double and swap as needed," Bucky said, meeting Natasha's eyes clearly. She gave just a tiny nod, as the two former assassins recognized that the team was far more than any given pairing within it.

+++++

"Aren't you dead?" Rhodey asked, even as Coulson slipped the safety on the laser pulse rifle so he could reach down and offer Iron Patriot a hand up.

"I got better," the agent said, perfectly deadpan, before scanning for anymore of the odd little drones that had mobbed Iron Patriot. "Electro-magnetic pulses seemed to work almost as well as one of these, but they are drawn to power supplies," Coulson offered. "We think they escaped a laboratory and have about as much reasoning power as a two-year old."

"I'll keep that in mind, and thanks," Rhodey said, getting some of his functionality back as the failsafes kicked in. "I can't tell Tony I saw you, can I?"

"Probably not. Have fun." And Coulson hurried to join his team in finding the rest of the little demolishers.

+++++


End file.
